A windy balcony holiday planter

We face south west, where three bodies of water meet. Lake Ontario, the St. Lawrence and Rideau rivers join on our northern shore. Winter storms gather over these waters - then greet us with force. The winter wind challenges our outdoor space.

Exterior spotlights nestled in two bouquets of birch, dogwood, pine, cedar and spruce makes for an excellent display. Heavy iron and steel lanterns provide more battery powered light. The red shiny balls reflect even more light and break the greyness.

I collect rocks. We have rocks from the Great Lakes and the Kawarthas. Every balcony planter is topped with these stones and pebbles to prevent soil erosion and reduce dust. They also deter squirrels from digging and act as a mulch, preventing weeds from growing. Decorative stones are widely available in dollar and hardware stores too.

Before a deep freeze I create the bouquet. The birch has been in this planter for 3 years. Red dogwood provides colour, contrast and a windbreak. The centred spotlight, surrounded by pine, cedar and spruce is inviting. Everything will freeze into place once the temperatures dip.

All of this is also cost effective. I reuse the planters, lanterns, spotlights and birch branches from the summer. The ornaments are several years old and will be re-glued, securing them for another season. The cost of evergreens and dogwood will be an annual expense unless you can get them from the forest.

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